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I enjoyed this build and have some general tips for your Top Force reissue build. The Top Force was the 100th vehicle in their lineup and was the next generation 4WD racer after the Tamiya Egress. This is a shelf queen and I opted for different wheels to go along with a vivid original paint scheme. I have a Super Astute, and this Top Force seems like the closest twin brother given the same wheels and FRP chassis, and plastic body shocks etc.

A few tips I thought were helpful in my build:
1) install ball bearings throughout.
2) there are places where the ball bearing are slightly loose (such as the propeller shaft and even in the transmission case). I recommend either light tape or even a light coating of Loctite to ensure that the inner ball bearing spins freeling and securely. Creating a tighter fit ensures that the ball bearing is doing all the work.
3) I carefully heat up the threaded part of the screws (with a lighter) / or put ceramic grease on screws before I insert them into the transmission case. This allows the screws to enter the plastic more smoothly and easily. This prevents cracking of the plastic. For some reason, the screws are a tight fit in the plastic, which is the reason I prefer to melt or lubricate screws.
4) I think a small spacer inside the front shocks (2mm?) (for limiting travel and height) provide a more balanced chassis ride height.
5) I like to upgrade most of the ball cups with reinforced Tamiya ball cups for a tighter fit and less play throughout.
6) For shelf builds I generally use little to almost no locktite on the screws as it often makes it harder to unscrew and disassemble.

Ball bearings a must but I would never use loctite around any bearings as even a small amount will risk seizing them. I’d just leave it alone as is - especially as your build will sit on the shelf.

Very nice Top Force. I also heat my screws up with a lighter to prevent cracking the plastic. The front gearbox seems to often have cracking issues where the bottom cover screws on in hard use/competition. I feel part of this is due to the front cover also serving as the lower suspension arm mount as well. I like the DF01/Top Force a great deal but feel the type of unreinforced plastics it used let it down.

Saito wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 6:26 pm Very nice Top Force. I also heat my screws up with a lighter to prevent cracking the plastic. The front gearbox seems to often have cracking issues where the bottom cover screws on in hard use/competition. I feel part of this is due to the front cover also serving as the lower suspension arm mount as well. I like the DF01/Top Force a great deal but feel the type of unreinforced plastics it used let it down.

Thank you. The lighter method is a good one...also applies to the Thundershot and Fire Dragon series cars. When the screw is hard to turn, that is a sign to use the lighter method. Big dfference. I would recommend people who run and race/run their Tamiya Top Force to use a 2.5 mm width screw that extends down well below the gearboxes front and back and using a locknut to secure the gearbox cover.

If Tamiya ever did a "reinforced plastics" reissue version of their vintage buggies...I bet they could do another successful run of selling their buggies. ))

Great paint job!

never use loctite or any thread locking type liquid on plastic uniless it specifically says it is safe.

all that said, that car looks killer!!!!!!